The new library and office for Gettysburg’s Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides had its grand opening on Sunday. Most of the work in the office was performed by guides. This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides had the grand opening of its new office on Sunday. Although the guides have been in this space since August, the space was incomplete. A few guides have put in hours of work building bookshelves, working on walls, ceilings, painting, etc… to

The new Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides office and library is located in Patriot Point at the corner of Steinwehr Avenue and Queen Street. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Snow was flying Sunday morning when we took these pictures of the entrance to Patriot Point. A new Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides sign is hanging at the entrance. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Here’s a picture of the guide sign at the entrance from the lobby of Patriot Point looking towards Steinwehr Avenue. Licensed Battlefield Guiding began at Gettysburg in 1915. The Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides was formed in 1916. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

There are retail spaces and other offices in Patriot Point. The outside of the Licensed Battlefield Guide office has been painted blue. This view was taken facing northwest at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

United States Air Force veteran Jim Clouse has been a Licensed Battlefield Guide since 1989. He is in charge of the library. This view was taken facing west at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

In this video, Jim Clouse takes us on a tour of the new office and library space. This view was taken facing first northwest, and then multiple directions at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The first room shows general histories on a bookscase to the left, and a map case in the center of this photograph. This view was taken facing south at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

At the map case, Jim shows us the Warren maps. This view was taken facing south at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Both of these maps are Warren maps. The one on the right is half the size of the one on the left. This view was taken facing south at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

We entered this room from a door just out of sight on the left of this photograph. The window looks back towards Steinwehr Avenue. The large map on the left is of all the monuments on the battlefield. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The shelf below the map holds the Medical and Surgical History of the Civil War and miscellaneous files on guiding. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Also in this room are six filing cabinets that have run out of space. They contain many files copied from the National Park Service library. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

In the next room are the new bookcases. Jim was in the final stages of filling up the shelves when we entered the space. There are over 2000 volumes in the Association of Licensed Battlefield Guides’ (ALBG) library. This view was taken facing northeast at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

There were various reasons for the Association to have this space, including the fact that the library was running out of room. This view was taken facing east at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Another reason that a separate space for the library was set up away from the National Park Service Visitor Center is that this space is more accessible. Licensed Battlefield Guides are not allowed in the Guide Room in the new Visitor Center “after hours” as we were in the old visitor Center. Guides who are Association members have access to this facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This view was taken facing north at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The south wall of the library shows a large open space where Jim is facing. This space was only open for the reception held Sunday evening. The doors will be closed, and two more bookcases will be placed in front of them after the reception is over. This view was taken facing south at approximately 9:00 AM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Late Sunday afternoon a reception was held at Patriot Point for the new guide room opening. Dozens of individuals showed up between 4:00 PM and 6:00 PM. This view was taken facing north at approximately 5:15 PM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

The reception was attended by Licensed Battlefield Guides, family members, friends, National Park Service personnel, and Associate Members of the ALBG. This view was taken facing southeast at approximately 5:15 PM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.

Also present that evening were Licensed Battlefield Guide candidates who had attended “Charm School” over the weekend. This view was taken facing east at approximately 5:15 PM on Sunday, February 22, 2009.